How to write a spoken word poem about your faith

Writing about your faith can feel exposing. You want to be honest without sounding like a sermon. Spoken word is a good form for this, because it is personal and it is meant to be heard.

This guide takes you from a blank page to a first performance. If you are new to the form, start with what is spoken word poetry?

1. Pray before you write

Ask God to help you write truthfully. The Psalms show that you can bring him anything.

“Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:8, NKJV)

Pouring out your heart is a good description of a first draft.

2. Pick one true thing

Strong faith poems are usually specific. Trying to say everything about God in one piece tends to make a poem vague. Choose one moment or one question, and stay with it.

Some prompts to start with:

• A time you felt far from God, and what happened next
• A verse that has stayed with you, and why
• A prayer you have never said out loud
• The gap between what you know about God and what you have experienced of him
• A question you are still asking

The fourth prompt is close to the theme of Thandie’s spoken word film “That I May Know You”, which you can watch on the watch page. Read more about that idea in knowing about God vs knowing God.

3. Free-write first

Set a timer for ten minutes and write without stopping. Don’t edit. Don’t worry about rhyme. Get the raw material down, and shape it later.

4. Use images, and avoid clichés

The Poetry Society’s Young Poets Network encourages spoken word writers to show their feelings through images and metaphors, instead of simply stating them. It also warns against clichés the audience has heard many times (Young Poets Network).

Faith writing has its own clichés. Phrases like “God is good” are true. An audience has also heard them many times. Ask what your experience actually looked like. Where were you? What could you see and hear?

The Psalms do this well. Psalm 13 opens with raw, specific questions:

“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1, NKJV)

5. Use repetition

Repetition helps listeners follow a poem they may only hear once. The Young Poets Network guide notes that oral poems often used repetition to help people remember them. It encourages writers to use repetition and to think carefully about the order of their ideas.

Try choosing one line that comes back several times, changing slightly each time. Psalm 136 does something similar. All 26 of its verses end with the same words: “For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136:1, NKJV).

6. Read it out loud, then edit

Spoken word is written for the ear. Read your draft aloud and mark where you stumble or run out of breath. Cut words you don’t need. Swap a long word for a short one if it sounds better.

Keep the piece to a length you can perform well. The Young Poets Network’s spoken word challenge set a limit of three minutes, which is a useful target for a first poem.

7. Plan the performance

The Young Poets Network guide says that when you write a spoken word poem, you have to edit your performance in the same way you would edit line breaks on the page. Think about:

• Pace: where to slow down and where to speed up
• Pauses: a moment of silence gives a line room to land
• Volume: some lines are stronger said quietly
• Stance: how you stand and where you look
• Your own voice: your accent and way of speaking are part of the poem

The guide also suggests recording yourself and watching it back until it feels right. Your phone is enough for this.

8. Check it against Scripture

Poetry about faith is allowed to be raw. It is still worth asking whether what you say about God lines up with the Bible. Ask someone you trust to listen and give you honest feedback. If you are unsure about a passage, our guide on how to start reading the Bible may help.

9. Share it

“Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.” (Habakkuk 2:2, NKJV)

That verse was about a specific message from God to the prophet Habakkuk. Its phrase “make it plain” is still good advice for any writer who wants to be understood.

Start small. Share your poem with one friend first, then perhaps a small group. When you feel ready, look for an open mic or a church event where spoken word is welcome.

If fear is holding you back, read Christian creatives: using your gifts without hiding them. If you want to build a regular habit, try a 30-day poem-a-day challenge.

A short checklist

• Is the poem about one clear thing?
• Have I used at least one fresh image?
• Does it sound right out loud?
• Can I perform it in about three minutes?
• Is what I say about God true to Scripture?

For more on faith and storytelling, listen to Tea Time With Thandie.